Multi-speed transmission

ABSTRACT

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/029,456, filed on Feb. 18, 2008. The disclosure of the aboveapplication is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The invention relates generally to a multiple speed transmission havinga plurality of planetary gear sets and a plurality of torquetransmitting devices and more particularly to a transmission having nineor more speeds, four planetary gear sets and a plurality of torquetransmitting devices.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background informationrelated to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute priorart.

A typical multiple speed transmission uses a combination of frictionclutches, planetary gear arrangements and fixed interconnections toachieve a plurality of gear ratios. The number and physical arrangementof the planetary gear sets, generally, are dictated by packaging, costand desired speed ratios.

While current transmissions achieve their intended purpose, the need fornew and improved transmission configurations which exhibit improvedperformance, especially from the standpoints of efficiency,responsiveness and smoothness and improved packaging, primarily reducedsize and weight, is essentially constant. Accordingly, there is a needfor an improved, cost-effective, compact multiple speed transmission.

SUMMARY

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member,four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and aplurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gearsets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmittingdevices are for example clutches and brakes.

The planetary gear sets each having sun gears, carrier members and ringgears. The input member is continuously interconnected to the sun gearmember of the fourth planetary gear set. The output member iscontinuously interconnected to the ring gear member of the thirdplanetary gear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gearset. A first interconnecting member is continuously interconnecting thering gear member of the first planetary gear set and the ring gearmember of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of thethird planetary gear set. A second interconnecting member iscontinuously interconnecting the carrier member of the first planetarygear set with the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set. Athird interconnecting member is continuously interconnecting the ringgear member of the third planetary gear set with the carrier member ofthe fourth planetary gear set. A first torque transmitting mechanism isselectively engageable to interconnect the input member and the sun gearmember of the fourth planetary gear set with the sun gear member of thefirst planetary gear set. A second torque transmitting mechanism isselectively engageable to interconnect the input member and the sun gearmember of the fourth planetary gear set with the carrier member of thefirst planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetarygear set. A third torque transmitting mechanism is selectivelyengageable to interconnect the carrier member of the second planetarygear set with the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set. Afourth torque transmitting mechanism is selectively engageable tointerconnect the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set withthe stationary element. A fifth torque transmitting mechanism isselectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the firstplanetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gearset with the stationary element. A sixth torque transmitting mechanismis selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear member of thethird planetary gear set with the stationary element. The torquetransmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of atleast three to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at leastone reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an imaginary plane isdisposed perpendicular to an input member axis and between an end of theinput member and the four planetary gear sets. The first planetary gearset is adjacent the imaginary plane and the third planetary gear set isremote from the imaginary plane, the second planetary gear set isadjacent the first planetary gear set and the fourth planetary gear setis disposed between the second planetary gear set and third planetarygear set. The input member and output member are axially aligned andonly the input member intersects the imaginary plane.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an imaginary planeis disposed perpendicular to an input member axis and between an end ofthe input member and the four planetary gear sets. The first planetarygear set is adjacent the imaginary plane and the fourth planetary gearset is remote from the imaginary plane, the third planetary gear set isadjacent the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear setis disposed between the third planetary gear set and fourth planetarygear set. The input member and output member are axially aligned andonly the input member intersects the imaginary plane.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a transmissionhaving four planetary gear sets.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide atransmission having at least nine forward speeds and at least onereverse.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide atransmission having four planetary gear sets, a plurality of couplingmembers and a plurality of torque transmitting devices.

Further objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent by reference to the following description and appendeddrawings wherein like reference numbers refer to the same component,element or feature.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

FIG. 1 is a lever diagram of an embodiment of a nine speed transmissionaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of an embodiment of a nine speedtransmission according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of another embodiment of a ninespeed transmission according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a truth table presenting the state of engagement of thevarious torque transmitting elements in each of the available forwardand reverse speeds or gear ratios of the transmissions illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is notintended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

At the outset, it should be appreciated that the embodiments of the ninespeed automatic transmission of the present invention have anarrangement of permanent mechanical connections between the elements ofthe four planetary gear sets. A first component or element of a firstplanetary gear set is permanently coupled to a first component orelement of a second planetary gear set. A second component or element ofthe first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to a third componentor element of the second planetary gear set. A first component orelement of the second planetary gear set is permanently coupled to asecond component or element of the third planetary gear set. A thirdcomponent or element of the third planetary gear set is permanentlycoupled to a second component or element of the fourth planetary gearset.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a nine speed transmission 10is illustrated in a lever diagram format. A lever diagram is a schematicrepresentation of the components of a mechanical device such as anautomatic transmission. Each individual lever represents a planetarygear set wherein the three basic mechanical components of the planetarygear are each represented by a node. Therefore, a single lever containsthree nodes: one for the sun gear, one for the planet gear carrier, andone for the ring gear. The relative length between the nodes of eachlever can be used to represent the ring-to-sun ratio of each respectivegear set. These lever ratios, in turn, are used to vary the gear ratiosof the transmission in order to achieve an appropriate ratios and ratioprogression. Mechanical couplings or interconnections between the nodesof the various planetary gear sets are illustrated by thin, horizontallines and torque transmitting devices such as clutches and brakes arepresented as interleaved fingers. Further explanation of the format,purpose and use of lever diagrams can be found in SAE Paper 810102, “TheLever Analogy: A New Tool in Transmission Analysis” by Benford andLeising which is hereby fully incorporated by reference.

The transmission 10 includes an input shaft or member 12, a firstplanetary gear set 14 having three nodes: a first node 14A, a secondnode 14B and a third node 14C, a second planetary gear set 16 havingthree nodes: a first node 16A, a second node 16B and a third node 16C, athird planetary gear set 18 having three nodes: a first node 18A, asecond node 18B and a third node 18C, a fourth planetary gear set 20having three nodes: a first node 20A, a second node 20B and a third node20C and an output shaft or member 22.

The input member 12 is coupled for common rotation to the third node 20Cof the fourth planetary gear set 20. The output member 22 is coupled forcommon rotation to the third node 18C of the third planetary gear set18. The first node 14A of the first planetary gear set 14 is coupled tofirst node 16A of the second planetary gear set 16. The second node 14Bof the first planetary gear set 14 is coupled to the third node 16C ofthe second planetary gear set 16. The second node 18B of the thirdplanetary gear set 18 is coupled to the first node 16A of the secondplanetary gear set 16. The third node 18C of the third planetary gearset 18 is coupled to the second node 20B of the fourth planetary gearset 20.

A first clutch 26 selectively connects the input shaft or member 12 withthe third node 14C of the first planetary gear set 14. A second clutch28 selectively connects the input shaft or member 12 with the secondnode 14B of the first planetary gear set 14. A third clutch 30selectively connects the second node 16B of the second planetary gearset 16 with the first node 20A of the fourth planetary gear set 20. Afirst brake 32 selectively connects the third node 14C of the firstplanetary gear set 14 with a stationary member or transmission housing50. A second brake 34 selectively connects the third node 16C of thesecond planetary gear set 16 to the stationary member or transmissionhousing 50. A third brake 36 selectively connects the first node 18A ofthe third planetary gear set 18 to the stationary member or transmissionhousing 50.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a stick diagram presents a schematic layout ofthe embodiment of the nine speed transmission 10 according to thepresent invention. In FIG. 2, the numbering from the lever diagram ofFIG. 1 is carried over. The clutches and couplings are correspondinglypresented whereas the nodes of the planetary gear sets now appear ascomponents of planetary gear sets such as sun gears, ring gears, planetgears and planet gear carriers.

For example, the planetary gear set 14 includes a sun gear member 14C, aring gear member 14A and a planet gear carrier member 14B that rotatablysupports a set of planet gears 14D (only one of which is shown). The sungear member 14C is connected for common rotation with a first shaft orinterconnecting member 42. The ring gear member 14A is connected forcommon rotation with a second shaft or interconnecting member 44. Theplanet carrier member 14B is connected for common rotation with a thirdshaft or interconnecting member 46 and with a fourth shaft orinterconnecting member 48. The set of planet gears 14D are eachconfigured to intermesh with both the sun gear member 14C and ring gearmember 14A.

The planetary gear set 16 includes a sun gear member 16C, a ring gearmember 16A and a planet gear carrier member 16B that rotatably supportsa set of planet gears 16D (only one of which is shown). The sun gearmember 16C is connected for common rotation with the fourth shaft orinterconnecting member 48. The ring gear member 16A is connected forcommon rotation with the second shaft or interconnecting member 44. Theplanet carrier member 16B is connected for common rotation with a fifthshaft or interconnecting member 52. The planet gears 16D are eachconfigured to intermesh with both the sun gear member 16C and the ringgear member 16A.

The planetary gear set 18 includes a sun gear member 18A, a ring gearmember 18C and a planet gear carrier member 18B that rotatably supportsa set of planet gears 18D (only one of which is shown). The sun gearmember 18A is connected for common rotation with a sixth shaft orinterconnecting member 54. The ring gear member 18C is connected forcommon rotation with output shaft or member 22. The planet carriermember 18B is connected for common rotation with the second shaft orinterconnecting 44. The planet gears 18D are each configured tointermesh with both the sun gear member 18A and the ring gear member18C.

The planetary gear set 20 includes a sun gear member 20C, a ring gearmember 20A and a planet gear carrier member 20B that rotatably supportsa set of planet gears 20D (only one of which is shown). The sun gearmember 20C is connected for common rotation with the input shaft ormember 12. The ring gear member 20A is connected for common rotationwith the seventh shaft or interconnecting member 56. The planet carriermember 20B is connected for common rotation with output shaft or member22. The planet gears 20D are each configured to intermesh with both thesun gear member 20C and the ring gear member 20A.

The input shaft or member 12 is continuously connected to an engine (notshown) or to a turbine of a torque converter (not shown). The outputshaft or member 22 is continuously connected with the final drive unitor transfer case (not shown).

The torque-transmitting mechanisms or clutches 26, 28, 30 and brakes 32,34 and 36 allow for selective interconnection of the shafts orinterconnecting members, members of the planetary gear sets and thehousing. For example, the first clutch 26 is selectively engageable toconnect the input shaft or member 12 with the first shaft orinterconnecting member 42. The second clutch 28 is selectivelyengageable to connect the input shaft or member 12 with the fourth shaftor interconnecting member 48. The third clutch 30 is selectivelyengageable to connect the fifth shaft or interconnecting member 52 withthe seventh shaft or interconnecting member 56. The first brake 32 isselectively engageable to connect the first shaft or interconnectingmember 42 with the stationary element or the transmission housing 50 inorder to restrict the member 42 from rotating relative to thetransmission housing 50. The second brake 34 is selectively engageableto connect the third shaft or interconnecting member 46 with thestationary element or the transmission housing 50 in order to restrictthe member 46 from rotating relative to the transmission housing 50. Thethird brake 36 is selectively engageable to connect the sixth shaft orinterconnecting member 54 with the stationary element or thetransmission housing 50 in order to restrict the member 54 from rotatingrelative to the transmission housing 50.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a stick diagram presents a schematic layout ofanother embodiment of a nine speed transmission 10′ according to thepresent invention. In FIG. 3, the numbering from the lever diagram ofFIG. 1 is carried over. Transmission 10′ has the same number of clutchesand brakes and the same mechanical connections between the components ofthe planetary gear sets 14, 16, 18 and 20 as transmission 10. However,the ordering of the planetary gear sets and the configuration of theshafts or interconnecting members is different. For example intransmission 10′, if an imaginary reference plane P is drawnperpendicular to the input shaft 12′ and intersecting or crossing inputshaft 12′ between an end 60 of input shaft 12′ and a planetary gear set,then the planetary gear set that is closest to plane P is the firstplanetary gear set 14. Moreover, in transmission 10′ movingprogressively farther from imaginary plane P are planetary gear sets 18,16 and 20, respectively. In transmission 10 the first planetary gear set14 is again closest to plane P with plane P intersecting or crossinginput shaft 12 between an end 60 of input shaft 12 and a planetary gearset. However, in contrast with transmission 10′, moving progressivelyfarther from imaginary plane P are disposed planetary gear sets 16, 20and 18 of transmission 10, respectively. Of course, the shafts orinterconnecting members (42′, 44′, 46′, 48′, 52′, 54′, 56′ and 58′) oftransmission 10′ will have a different configuration since the planetarygear sets are ordered differently. However, the shafts orinterconnecting members (42′, 44′, 46′, 48′, 52′, 54′, 56′ and 58′) oftransmission 10′ serve the same function as the correspondinginterconnecting members (42, 44, 46, 48, 52, 54, 56 and 58) oftransmission 10 and therefore have the same reference number with theaddition of a prime symbol.

Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the operation of theembodiments of the nine speed transmission 10 and 10′ will be described.It will be appreciated that transmission 10 and 10′ are capable oftransmitting torque from the input shaft or member 12 and 12′ to theoutput shaft or member 22 and 22′ in at least nine forward speed ortorque ratios and at least one reverse speed or torque ratio with asingle overdrive. Each forward and reverse speed or torque ratio isattained by engagement of one or more of the torque-transmittingmechanisms (i.e. first clutch 26, second clutch 28, third clutch 30,first brake 32, second brake 34 and third brake 36), as will beexplained below. FIG. 4 is a truth table presenting the variouscombinations of torque-transmitting mechanisms that are activated orengaged to achieve the various gear states. An “X” in the box means thatthe particular clutch or brake is engaged to achieve the desired gearstate. An “O” represents that the particular torque transmitting device(i.e. a brake or clutch) is on or active, but not carrying torque.Actual numerical gear ratios of the various gear states are alsopresented although it should be appreciated that these numerical valuesare exemplary only and that they may be adjusted over significant rangesto accommodate various applications and operational criteria of thetransmission 10, 10′. An example of the gear ratios that may be obtainedusing the embodiments of the present invention are also shown in FIG. 4.Of course, other gear ratios are achievable depending on the geardiameter, gear teeth count and gear configuration selected.

To establish a reverse (REV) gear, the first clutch 26, second brake 34and third brake 36 are engaged or activated. The first clutch 26connects the input shaft or member 12 (or 12′) with the first shaft orinterconnecting member 42 (or 42′). The second brake 34 connects thethird shaft or interconnecting member 46 (or 46′) with the stationaryelement or the transmission housing 50 in order to restrict the member46 (or 46′) from rotating relative to the transmission housing 50. Thethird brake 36 connects the sixth shaft or interconnecting member 54 (or54′) with the stationary element or the transmission housing 50 in orderto restrict the member 54 (or 54′) from rotating relative to thetransmission housing 50. Likewise, the nine forward ratios are achievedthrough different combinations of clutch and brake engagement, as shownin FIG. 4.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing explanation of operation andgear states of the nine speed transmission 10, 10′ assumes, first ofall, that all the clutches not specifically referenced in a given gearstate are inactive or disengaged and, second of all, that during gearshifts, i.e., changes of gear state, between at least adjacent gearstates, a clutch engaged or activated in both gear states will remainengaged or activated.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature andvariations that do not depart from the gist of the invention areintended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A transmission comprising: an input member; an output member; first,second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, secondand third members, wherein the input member is continuouslyinterconnected to the third member of the fourth planetary gear set andwherein the output member is continuously interconnected to the thirdmember of the third planetary gear set and the second member of thefourth planetary gear set; a first interconnecting member continuouslyinterconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set and thefirst member of the second planetary gear set with the second member ofthe third planetary gear set; a second interconnecting membercontinuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetarygear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set; sixtorque transmitting mechanisms, each selectively engageable tointerconnect at least one of the first, second, and third members withat least another of the first, second, third members and a stationarymember, and wherein the torque transmitting mechanisms are selectivelyengageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least nineforward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between theinput member and the output member, and wherein a plane is disposedperpendicular to an input member axis and between an end of the inputmember and the four planetary gear sets, and wherein the first planetarygear set is adjacent the imaginary plane and the third planetary gearset is remote from the imaginary plane, the second planetary gear set isadjacent the first planetary gear set and the fourth planetary gear setis disposed between the second planetary gear set and third planetarygear set.
 2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the input member andoutput member are axially aligned and only the input member intersectsthe plane.
 3. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the sixtorque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnectthe input member and the third member of the fourth planetary gear setwith the third member of the first planetary gear set.
 4. Thetransmission of claim 3 wherein a second of the six torque transmittingmechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the input memberand the third member of the fourth planetary gear set with the secondmember of the first planetary gear set and the third member of thesecond planetary gear set.
 5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein athird of the six torque transmitting mechanisms is selectivelyengageable to interconnect the second member of the second planetarygear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set.
 6. Thetransmission of claim 5 wherein a fourth of the six torque transmittingmechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the third member ofthe first planetary gear set with the stationary element.
 7. Thetransmission of claim 6 wherein a fifth of the six torque transmittingmechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the second memberof the first planetary gear set and the third member of the secondplanetary gear set with the stationary element.
 8. The transmission ofclaim 7 wherein a sixth of the six torque transmitting mechanisms isselectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the thirdplanetary gear set with the stationary element.
 9. The transmission ofclaim 1 wherein the third member of the first, second and fourthplanetary gear sets and the first member of the third planetary gear setare sun gears, the second members of the first, second third and fourthplanetary gear sets are carrier members, and the first members of thefirst, second and fourth planetary gear sets and the third member of thethird planetary gear set are ring gears.
 10. The transmission of claim 1wherein three of the torque transmitting mechanisms are brakes forconnecting a plurality of the first, second, and third members to thestationary element and three of the torque transmitting mechanisms areclutches for connecting a set of the first, second, and third members toanother set of the first, second, and third members.
 11. A transmissioncomprising: an input member; an output member; first, second, third andfourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members,wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the thirdmember of the fourth planetary gear set and wherein the output member iscontinuously interconnected with the third member of the third planetarygear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set; a firstinterconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member ofthe first planetary gear set with the first member of the secondplanetary gear set and the second member of the third planetary gearset; a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting thesecond member of the first planetary gear set with the third member ofthe second planetary gear set; six torque transmitting mechanisms, eachselectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first,second, and third members with at least another of the first, second,third members and a stationary element, and wherein the torquetransmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of atleast three to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at leastone reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member,and wherein a plane is disposed perpendicular to an input member axisand between an end of the input member and the four planetary gear sets,and wherein the first planetary gear set is adjacent the imaginary planeand the fourth planetary gear set is remote from the imaginary plane,the third planetary gear set is adjacent the first planetary gear setand the second planetary gear set is disposed between the thirdplanetary gear set and fourth planetary gear set.
 12. The transmissionof claim 11 wherein the input member and output member are axiallyaligned and only the input member intersects the plane.
 13. Thetransmission of claim 11 wherein a first of the six torque transmittingmechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the input memberand the third member of the fourth planetary gear set with the thirdmember of the first planetary gear set.
 14. The transmission of claim 13wherein a second of the six torque transmitting mechanisms isselectively engageable to interconnect the input member and the thirdmember of the fourth planetary gear set with the second member of thefirst planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetarygear set.
 15. The transmission of claim 14 wherein a third of the sixtorque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnectthe second member of the second planetary gear set with the first memberof the fourth planetary gear set.
 16. The transmission of claim 15wherein a fourth of the six torque transmitting mechanisms isselectively engageable to interconnect the third member of the firstplanetary gear set with the stationary element.
 17. The transmission ofclaim 16 wherein a fifth of the six torque transmitting mechanisms isselectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the firstplanetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear setwith the stationary element.
 18. The transmission of claim 17 wherein asixth of the six torque transmitting mechanisms is selectivelyengageable to interconnect the first member of the third planetary gearset with the stationary element.
 19. The transmission of claim 11wherein the third member of the first, second and fourth planetary gearsets and the first member of the third planetary gear set are sun gears,the second members of the first, second third and fourth planetary gearsets are carrier members, and the first members of the first, second andfourth planetary gear sets and the third member of the third planetarygear set are ring gears.
 20. The transmission of claim 11 wherein threeof the torque transmitting mechanisms are brakes for connecting aplurality of the first, second, and third members to the stationaryelement and three of the torque transmitting mechanisms are clutches forconnecting a set of the first, second, and third members to another setof the first, second, and third members.
 21. A transmission comprising:an input member; an output member; first, second, and third planetarygear sets each having sun gears, carrier members and ring gears, whereinthe input member is continuously interconnected to the sun gear memberof the fourth planetary gear set and wherein the output member iscontinuously interconnected to the ring gear member of the thirdplanetary gear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gearset; a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting thering gear member of the first planetary gear set and the ring gearmember of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of thethird planetary gear set; a second interconnecting member continuouslyinterconnecting the carrier member of the first planetary gear set withthe sun gear member of the second planetary gear set; a first torquetransmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the inputmember and the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set with thesun gear member of the first planetary gear set; a second torquetransmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the inputmember and the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set with thecarrier member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear memberof the second planetary gear set; a third torque transmitting mechanismselectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the secondplanetary gear set with the ring gear member of the fourth planetarygear set; a fourth torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageableto interconnect the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set withthe stationary element; a fifth torque transmitting mechanismselectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the firstplanetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gearset with the stationary element; and a sixth torque transmittingmechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear member ofthe third planetary gear set with the stationary element, and whereinthe torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable incombinations of at least three to establish at least nine forward speedratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member andthe output member, and wherein a plane is disposed perpendicular to aninput member axis and between an end of the input member and the fourplanetary gear sets, and wherein the first planetary gear set isadjacent the imaginary plane and the third planetary gear set is remotefrom the imaginary plane, the second planetary gear set is adjacent thefirst planetary gear set and the fourth planetary gear set is disposedbetween the second planetary gear set and third planetary gear set, andwherein the input member and output member are axially aligned and onlythe input member intersects the plane.
 22. A transmission comprising: aninput member; an output member; first, second, and third planetary gearsets each having sun gears, carrier members and ring gears, wherein theinput member is continuously interconnected with the sun gear member ofthe fourth planetary gear set and wherein the output member iscontinuously interconnected with ring gear member of the third planetarygear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set; afirst interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gearmember of the first planetary gear set with the ring gear member of thesecond planetary gear set and the carrier member of the third planetarygear set; a second interconnecting member continuously interconnectingthe carrier member of the first planetary gear set with the sun gearmember of the second planetary gear set; a third interconnecting membercontinuously interconnecting the ring gear member of the third planetarygear set with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set; and afirst torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable tointerconnect the input member and the sun gear member of the fourthplanetary gear set with the sun gear member of the first planetary gearset; a second torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable tointerconnect the input member and the sun gear member of the fourthplanetary gear set with the carrier member of the first planetary gearset and the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set; a thirdtorque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect thecarrier member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gearmember of the fourth planetary gear set; a fourth torque transmittingmechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear member ofthe first planetary gear set with the stationary member; a fifth torquetransmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect thecarrier member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear memberof the second planetary gear set with the stationary member; and a sixthtorque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect thesun gear member of the third planetary gear set with the stationarymember, and wherein the torque transmitting mechanisms are selectivelyengageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least nineforward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between theinput member and the output member, and wherein a plane is disposedperpendicular to an input member axis and between an end of the inputmember and the four planetary gear sets, and wherein the first planetarygear set is adjacent the imaginary plane and the fourth planetary gearset is remote from the imaginary plane, the third planetary gear set isadjacent the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear setis disposed between the third planetary gear set and fourth planetarygear set, and wherein the input member and output member are axiallyaligned and only the input member intersects the plane.